Carisbrook Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled. The manager and staff have worked hard to create an environment which is purposeful and inviting for the children. The staff ethos is for children to be happy and have fun while learning. Children throughout the nursery beam with confidence. This demonstrates that children feel safe and secure.

The setting has created a well-sequenced curriculum which supports children to develop the skills they need for school. The manager's passion goes into everything she does. She has high expectations for children to achieve their learning outcomes. Children are eager to join in experiences set out for them. They are developing positive attitudes to learning.

Children have the opportunity to lead their own play. They test out their own ideas and are encouraged to problem solve. Babies can be found entranced in engaging story times with staff. Toddlers enjoy running freely outside and developing their fine motor skills, as they squeeze the spray bottle's trigger to paint plastic wrap. Pre-school children express their creativity through junk modelling.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Since the previous inspection, there has been changes to the management team. They have worked hard to make positive improvements. Staff express how training about the Early Years Foundation Stage has helped them support children's learning. The changes have had a positive impact on children's learning and development.
• Mathematics is well embedded. Staff find inventive ways to introduce mathematical concepts. At snack time, children talk about the size of their breadsticks. Younger children have number rhymes sang to them as they play. Older children are introduced to prepositions, such as 'on the plate' or 'under the cup', as they role play. Learning is well sequenced to build upon what they already know.
• Overall, language development is well promoted. Staff ask children thought-provoking questions to help extend language. Throughout the nursery, children join in with song and rhyme times with enthusiasm. However, occasionally, staff pronounce words incorrectly. This does not help children to hear all of the sounds within words to support their speaking skills in the best way possible.
• Staff know the children well. Children with additional needs are well supported. The setting works closely with outside agencies. They have put strategies in place to support children while referrals for additional support are being processed. Staff have clear next steps for children and plan activities to support this. Children are making good progress.
• Children behave well. Staff implement routines consistently, which helps children understand what is happening now and what comes next. This provides children with a sense of security. Staff involve children in their thinking. They will tell children why they are being praised or explain why some behaviour is not acceptable. This helps children understand what is expected, so they can begin to manage their own behaviour.
• Staff plan experiences and routines based on children's interests. For example, staff in pre-school provide an exploration box to encourage conversation between children. This is changed regularly as the children's interests change. At times however, staff prolong activities such as circle time, beyond some children's levels of attention and interest. They become restless, and this leads to them not fully engaging in purposeful learning.
• Children have formed strong bonds with staff. Staff demonstrate love and care for the children. The calming atmosphere in the baby room helps children to come round from their naps in a cosy area. Pre-school children get excited when they learn something new and seek out adults to tell them what they have learnt. Such secure relationships contribute to children's confidence.
• The managers have created a reflective and passionate team. Staff regularly reflect on their day. As a team they discuss what worked well and what could have gone better. Managers have supported staff in taking meaningful next steps in their development. Training and reflection have created a skilful workforce of people, who are working together to achieve better outcomes for children.
• Parent partnership is strong. Since the previous inspection, the manager and her team have worked closely with parents. Parents have attended stay-and-play sessions to learn skills which help to support their children's development at home. Parents express how the nursery supports the whole family. This develops consistency for children from nursery to home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance children's speaking skills even further by improving opportunities for them to hear precise speech sounds and the correct pronunciation of words
• clarify the use of circle-time sessions and share this with staff, so that the development of every child's listening and attention skills is well supported.